It’s Krishna’s birthday! Krishna is best known as the little mischievous boy who would sneak and steal buttermilk (I’ve also been told that it was ghee). He also cared for the sacred cows and played his flute for them. He was a lady’s man who wooed the heart of Radha, the milkmaid (along with his 16,000+ other wives). Krishna and Radha are known as the model of true love in Hinduism. Most little girls love Krishna especially when they are younger.
Krishna is the 8th of 12 avatars of Vishnu. He is most known as the god of the Mahabharata which contains the Bhagavad Gita which teaches the basic principles of life and obligations/duties (dharmas) that each person should fulfill to obtain moksha (liberation) in order to be released from incarnation and live eternally in Krishna's presence. For a synopsis and more information check out
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahabharata
He is also the god associated with the Hare Krishna group in the west.
Krishna leading Arjuna into battle in the Mahabharata.
